Machine for applying thermoplastic material



Filed Nov. 10, 1966 Sept. 15, 1970 I H. c. PAULSEN 3,528,870

MACHINE FOR APPLYING THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL F12 1 A heen fnvenior HansC. Paulsen By his Azzforney Sept. 15, 1970' H. c. PAULSEN 3,523,370

MACHINE FOR APPLYING THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL Filed Nov. 10, 1966 5Sheets-Sheet :1

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Sept 15, 1970 H. c. PAULS EN 3,528,370

MACHINE FOR APPLYING THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL I 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FiledNov. 10, 1966 wwx Sept. 15, 1970 H. c. PAULSEN 3,

MACHINE FOR APPLYING THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL Filed Nov. 10, 1966 5Sheets-:Sheet -1.

Sept. 15, 1970 H. c. PAULSEN 3,528,870

MACHINE FOR APPLYING THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL Filed Nov. 10, 1966 5Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent Office 3,528,870 Patented Sept. 15,1970 3,528,870 MACHINE FOR APPLYING THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL Hans C.Paulsen, Lexington, Mass., assignor to USM Corporation, a corporation ofNew Jersey Filed Nov. 10, 1966, Ser. No. 593,492 Int. Cl. A43d /00 U.S.Cl. 156-295 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A machine for applyingmolten thermoplastic to a se lected area of one side of the vamp portionof a shoe upper, and for progressively applying pressure to a portion ofa lining which is laid against the molten thermoplastic material as thematerial is being applied to the vamp portion. The adhesive acts as astilfener for the shoe upper.

It will be apparent from a reading of the above identified patent thatthe machine therein disclosed is adapted for use in applying moltenthermoplastic box toe material as a layer adherent to a selected area ofone side of the vamp portion of a shoe upper. When such molten box toematerial is thus applied to one side of the vamp portion of an upperwhich includes a loose lining, it is a common practice for the operatorof the machine to hold the lining away from the vamp portion during theoperation of the machine while the molten thermoplastic box toe materialis being applied, and then immediately upon removal of the upper andlining from the machine, at the conclusiion of the operating cycle, tolay the lining back onto the vamp portion and to press the lining byhand against the molten box toe material thus to combine the lining andvamp portion. It is a principal object of this invention to facilitatethis operation and to assure the application of a uniform combining andsmoothing pressure on the lining over the entire area to which themolten box toe material has previously been applied.

With the foregoing object in view, the herein illustrated machine islike the machine of the above identified patent which has a carriagesupporting a work table on which the vamp portion of the upper isclamped and an applicator device arranged to apply molten thermoplasticbox toe material to a selected area of the vamp during relative movementbetween the carriage and the applicator device in one direction. Theillustrative machine in accordance with features of this invention isprovided with means for progressvely applying pressure to the portion ofthe lining laid against the molten thermoplastic material as thematerial is being applied to the vamp portion of the upper by theapplicator device. More particularly, this means for applying pressureto the lining comprises a pressing member, preferably in the form of aroller, mounted for movement from an inoperative position, away from thecarriage and work table, to an operative position adjacent to theapplying device and in pressing engagement with a portion of the liningof the u per.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will appear inthe following detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereofshown in the accompanying drawings, and will be pointed out in theclaim.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a machine of the type disclosed inthe above-identified U.S. patent which has been modified to embody thefeatures of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in side elevation of a portion of the machine shown inFIG. 1 with operating elements occupying positions assumed at thebeginning of an operating cycle;

FIG. 3 is a view of the machine similar to that of FIG. 2 but showingthe operating elements in different positions assumed at an intermediatestage of the operating cycle;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2 but with parts omitted andothers shown in vertical section;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3 with some parts omitted andothers shown in vertical section;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIGS. 4 and 5 but showing the operatingelements in the positions assumed at a point in the operating cyclelater than that illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5;

FIG. 7 is a view in section substantially on line VII- VII of FIG. 8,and looking in the direction of the arrows, and

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a vamp and lining combined therewith.

Referring to these drawings and especially FIG. 1, the machine which istherein illustrated is essentially the same as the machine disclosed andclaimed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,277,867, issued Oct. 11, 1966 in the names ofCharles 0. Kilham and Roscoe L. Hill, referred to above, but modifiedfor the purposes of this invention in a manner now to be described.Thus, this machine comprises an applicator device which is indicatedgenerally by the reference character 20 and which has an applying roll22, FIGS. 4-6, for applying a layer of molten thermoplastic material Mon one side of a shoe upper component, such as a vamp V, in response torelative movement between the vamp and the applying roll. During suchoperation, th vamp is clamped by means of a clamp member 24 against apad, or matrix 26 on a carriage 28 which is mounted for reciprocatingmovements on guide rods 30, 30 associated with a frame constructionindicated gen erally by the reference character 32, FIGS. 13.

As is explained in detail in the above-mentioned application, inresponse to the depression of a treadle, not shown, a vamp V placed on amatrix 26 is first clamped and then an automatic operating cycle isinitiated. During this operating cycle, the carriage 28 is movedinwardly to carry the vamp V beneath the applying roll 22 of theapplicator device as is diagrammatically illustrated by the arrow inFIG. 4 of the drawings, to a predetermined stop position. The applicatordevice is then moved downwardly to bring its applying roll 22 intooperative position on the upper surface of the vamp as is illustrated inFIG. 5. Next, the carriage is returned to its original position, bymovement in the direction of the arrow, FIG. 6, and during this returnmovement, a. layer of molten thermoplastic material M is applied to theupper surface of the vamp by the applying roll. Finally, the clampmember is elevated to release the vamp for removal by the operator. Asis also explained in the mentioned application, the layer of moltenmaterial is applied to a selected area only of a vamp and, when itcools, provides a stiffening element adhered to the vamp and functionsin the same manner as a box toe.

When applying this sort of a stiffening element to a loose lined upper,the operator folds back the lining from the toe end of the vamp as thevamp is placed on the matrix 26 and he holds the lining in thisretracted position during the operating cycle of the machine. However,immediately after the layer of molten material has been applied and thevamp removed from the machine, the operator folds the lining back overthe toe end of the vamp and smoothes and presses it down against thelayer of thermoplastic material which, if the operator works quicklyenough, is still warm enough to be tacky so as to bond the lining to thevamp.

In order to facilitate this operation and to assure an even and a firmironing of the lining against the applied layer of molten materialbefore this layer has had time to cool down enough to lose itstackiness, this invention provides the following novel arrangement.Mounted on bearing blocks 100, 100 which are secured to portions 102,102 of the frame construction 32 is a rock shaft 1-04, FIG. 1, to whichthere are keyed two relatively long arms 106, 106 which extend upwardlyone on each side of the table 28. Also keyed to this shaft are twoshorter arms 108, 108 and connected to each of these arms is one end ofa coil spring 110. The opposite ends of these two springs are secured toa part of the frame construction 32.

Pivotally mounted on the upper ends of the arms 106, 106, by means oftrunnion shafts 120, 120, is a U-shaped member 124 having rearwardlyextending arm portions 126, 126. The arm portion 126 which is associatedwith the arm 106 on the right hand side of the table 28 has an extension128 shaped to provide a hook 130, FIG. 2, which, when the carriage is inits outermost position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is behind the hookportion 132 of a pawl 134. This pawl is pivotally mounted, by means of astud screw 135, FIG. 1, on the upstanding portion 136 of an L-shapedbracket member 138, adjustably secured to one side of the table 28 bymeans of screws 140, 140. A pin 142 on the bracket member 138 extendsthrough a slot 144 in the pawl and serves to limit swinging movement ofthe latter. The pawl 134 carries a pin 146, the purpose of which willpresently appear.

Journaled on a shaft 150, which extends between the outer ends of thearm pawls 126, 126 of the U-shaped member 124 is a pressing roller 152.Secured to each of the trunnion shafts 120 is a double arm lever 154carrying two adjustable stop screws 156, 158, adapted to engage oppositesides of the arms 106, 106 and thus limit pivotal movement of theU-shaped member 124 and the pressing roller 152 carried thereby.Adjustably mounted on a downward extending portion 160 of the carriage28, by means of screws 1'62, 162, is an abutment member 164 having adownwardly extending, outwardly facing abutment surface 166 As is shownin FIG. 2, when the r In using the machine made in accordance with thisinvention, the operator places a vamp V, to which a lining L is looselyattached in a location heelwardly of the toe portion thereof, on thematrix 26 and folds the loose toe end of the lining back over the roller152, holding it loosely in the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, with thethumb and forefinger of one hand. The U-shaped member 124 and pressureroller 152 are now prevented from swinging in a clockwise direction inresponse to the downward pressure exerted on the roller 152 by thetension applied to the lining L, by the engagement of the adjustablestop screws 156, 156 with the arms 106, 106.

The operator next depresses the treadle, not shown, thereby causing thevamp V to be clamped against the matrix 26 by the clamp member 24, seeFIG. 4, and initiating an automatic operating cycle of the machine.During the first stages of this operating cycle, as the carriage 28begins to move inwardly, i.e., to the right as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3,the abutment surface 166 moves to the right and away from the roll 168thus permitting the springs 110, to swing the arms 106, 106 in acounterclockwise direction. Because of the differences in lengths, theupper portions of the arms 106 tend to move to the right at a fasterrate than does the roll 168 on the arm 108. However, the hook portion132 of the pawl 134 soon engages the hook on the extension 128 of arm126 thereby temporarily restraining movement of the arms 106, 106 andthe U-shaped member 124 which is carried thereby. As the inward movementof the carriage 28 continues, the operator follows such movement withthe hand which is holding the lining L just keeping a slight tension onthe lining.

Soon, and just before the carriage completes its inward movement, thepin 146 rides up the inclined cam surface 176 thereby lifting the pawl134 and releasing the arms 1%, 106 to the action of the springs 110,110. These springs quickly swing the mentioned arms in a clockwisedirection to 'the extent permitted by the engagement of the pressingroller 152 with the lining L which is now laid down against the uppersurface of the vamp V, arms 126, 126 swinging in a counterclockwisedirection to the extent determined by engagement of the stop screws 158,158 with arms 106, 106, FIGS. 3 and 5. Just as the pawl releases thearms 106, 106 the operator lets go of the lining and the parts assumethe positions shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 with the applicator device loweredto bring its applying roll 22 into operative position in engagement withthe upper surface of the vamp V.

Now, as the carriage 38 reverses its movement and returns to itsstarting position, FIG. 1, the roller 22 applies a layer of moltenthermoplastic material M over a selected area of the toe portion of thevamp, in a manner explained in detail in the above-mentioned patent. Atthe same time, the pressing roller 152, held yieldingly in engagementwith the lining L by the action of the springs 110, 110, rolls and ironsthe lining smoothly and firmly against the layer M while it is still atleast semi-molten and tacky, as shown in FIG. 6, thus nicely combiningthe lining L with the vamp V in the area covered by the layer M.Eventually, as the carriage 28 approaches its outermost position, thepin 146 rides down the inclined cam surface 176 so that the hooked end132 of pawl 134 catches the hook 130 and the arms 106, 106 and U-shapedmember 124 are swung in the counterclockwise direction and returned tothe positions shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, first by the pull exerted by thepawl 146 and finally by the action of the abutment surface 166 on theroll 168. The clamp member 24 is now elevated to release the combinedvamp and lining, FIGS. 7 and 8, for removal from the carriage, thuscompleting the operation.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired tosecure by US. Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine having an applicator device for applying moltenthermoplastic stiffening material as an adherent layer on a selectedarea of a portion of a loose line shoe upper, a work supporting carriageand means for effecting relative movement of said applicator device andcarriage to cause the device to apply molten thermoplastic material tosaid selected area of a shoe upper on the carriage, the combination ofmeans for pressing a portion of the lining against the materialcomprising a presser member mounted for movement to and from aninoperative position remote from the applicator device and above thecarriage and an operative position adjacent to the applicator device andin pressing engagement with the lining, and means for effecting suchmove ment of the presser member in predetermined timed relation to therelative movement of said applicator device and carriage comprising aU-shaped member, said presser member being mounted in said U-shapedmember, means for pivoting said U-shaped member relative to saidcarriage to translate said presser member between said operative andinoperative positions, and means for eontrolling the pivotal movement ofsaid pivoting means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,029,922 2/1936 Heckel et a1156-295 X 2,339,485 1/ 1944 Johns. 2,672,632 3/ 1954 Herlihy.

6 3,054,713 9/1962 Walter 156- 295 X 3,277,867 10/1966 Kilham et a1118-204 FOREIGN PATENTS 460,003 9/ 1949 Canada.

ROBERT F. STAHL, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 12146

